A noval microwave irradiated wet chemical method was adopted to prepare cadmium oxide nanostructures by using sodium dodecyl benzenesulphonate (SDBS) as surfactant in presence of strong and weak 0.1M alkaline medium (NaOH and NH4OH). The X-ray diffraction measurement shows that the particle is crystallized in the cubic phase, average grain size of the samples are found to be in the range 54 nm for NH4OH reagant and 60 nm for NaOH reagent. The XRD pattern value based lattice constant, dislocation density, X-ray density, specific surface area, microstrain–Williamson Hall and texture coefficient have been calculated. The surface functionality of the samples were analysed by using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The ultra visble transmittance and K-M plot analysed from the diffuse reflection spectra and photoluminescence spectra also been calculated. The morphological changes of cadmium oxide nanostructures with strong and weak 0.1M alkaline medium are clearly recored through transmission electron miscroscopy. The reaction mechanism confirms that the experiment carried out in presence of 0.1M NaOH shows rod shaped nanostructures through four step mechanism such as hydaration, intermediate formation, metal hydroxide formation and the formation of metal oxide.